Before The Ceremony
by Aquen
Summary: Before the ceremony, while the guest are gathering, while the last minute details are being prepared, the bride and groom are preparing behind the scenes.


This is just a random idea that popped into my head today; I couldn't wait to write it. A lot of effort actually went into this story, I had to research a bit about how Japanese wedding's are and I tried to incorporate that into the story. But... I don't think that Tadase, Amu and Yaya would be there before the reception but... ah well; I just had to have them there! :) So even if there is a glitch in what would actually happen how about we all over look that for a moment ok?

**Everyone is older.** I'm sure you would have come to that conclusion on your own after reading the story, but this is just a heads up.

I used honorifics! AH! I'm so happy :) I'm beginning to understand them a bit more, so I decided, hey, its a short story why not just add honorifics this time... so I did, and it worked! (Sorry I'm just really happy about that...)

**Disclaimer****-I do not own Shugo Chara!**

* * *

Nagihiko stared into the mirror, unsure what else to do. He looked into his eyes, the golden orbs staring right back at him. He clenched and unclenched his hands, waiting a bit impatiently for the ceremony to begin. It was times like these he needed Rhythm and Temari.

Rhythm would be telling him to cool down, take it slow. Temari would be of more practical help, having helped him wrestle with nerves before his performances when he was younger and helping him prepare.

Nagihiko sighed. Of course they were not there; they had gone back into their eggs a long time ago. He was a grown up and their help was no longer needed. Nagihiko still missed them though, but he knew they would always be near.

Even that thought helped him to calm down a bit.

"Ride the beat." Nagihiko murmured to himself, knowing that Rhythm would be giving him that advice. While Temari would be checking him over again and again making sure he was ready.

He was, this moment would only come once, and he was prepared. He was still nervous, yes, he was anxious, yes, but prepared none the less.

He turned from the mirror taking a picture from a stand, raising it upward to look at it.

It was an older picture, taken on the last day of school before summer break, the last year he, Amu, Rima, and Tadase would be Guardians. It all seemed like such a long time ago. If some random person had picked up the picture they would have only seen the five guardians, they would not have noticed the tiny human like creatures floating around the five students. But Nagihiko saw them; Rhythm had winked just as the camera had taken the picture, giving it an ok sign. Temari peaked out from behind Nagihiko's long hair.

Yaya had her arms thrown around Amu and Rima, Amu smiled while Rima looked a bit annoyed. Tadase and Nagihiko stood beside the girls, the smiles proving they had been laughing at Yaya. The other chara's floated around their bearers head or shoulders.

Nagihiko smiled at the picture, at the memories of those days gone by. When they all had chara's floating around them. When they would still chara change and could chara transform.

They were days gone by. Nagihiko gently set the picture down. Everyone was still the same, even if they didn't have their chara's anymore. There were more days ahead for each of them. Nagihiko smiled, those days were just beginning.

Nagihiko closed his eyes, taking a deep breath in and then out, trying to calm his racing heart. There was nothing to worry about, he had gone on stage many time before, for performances boasting audiences much larger than the people that would be attending this ceremony and even the many more attending the reception. He had gotten over any stage fright and had after a while gotten over nerves before performances. Why was he nervous now? This ceremony was just like a performance.

Just like a performance. Nagihiko chuckled at his own thinking, shaking his head and reopening his eyes to again stare into the ochre eyes in the mirror. This was nothing like a performance.

"Fujisaki-san?" Hotori's voice interrupted Nagihiko's thoughts. Nagihiko turned toward the door way where Tadase stood. "Are you ready?"

Nagihiko turned back toward the mirror, looking at the man he had become. "Just one more thing." He took a hair band from beside the picture on the stand, pulling his long hair into a low pony tail. He could never bring himself to cut it, it somehow connected him to who he was, to the person he had become being forced to pretend to be a girl for his dancing.

He turned back to Hotori.

"I'm ready."

Tadase smiled at him then stepped away from the entrance. "Everything is almost ready, we'll begin soon."

Soon? How long was soon?

As if knowing his unspoken question Hotori chuckled. "Don't worry; you'll be a married man before you know it."

* * *

Rima let Amu help her with her hair. Amu brushed through the wavy golden locks, chatting to Rima as she did so. But Rima remained quite, her nerves preventing her from saying anything.

"I'm not sure how well this will turn out." Amu muttered, frowning, Rima watched Amu's actions from the mirror, confident she would be able to put her hair into a bun.

"Hey!" Yaya burst into the room running over to Amu and Rima, a large smile lighting her face. "Rima-tan! You look beautiful!"

"When will you stop using tan?" Rima muttered coldly, turning her face away to hide her blush. She caressed the silk fabric of the traditional wedding kimono she wore.

Yaya leaned closer, placing her hand before her mouth as if conveying a secret. "Nagi will be impressed." She mock whispered her words loud enough for anyone in the room, which was only the three of them, to hear. The statement earned a larger blush from Rima, who looked down at the floor and smiled.

"Yay!" Yaya jumped up. "Rima's getting married! She's taking the lead, way to go Rima-tan!" Yaya settled down, placing her hand's on her hips, becoming very serious. "I thought Amu-chi would get married first, since she likes so many people."

"Y…Yaya!" Amu stuttered, cheeks reddening.

Rima chuckled at her friends antics. If she couldn't have Kususkusu there to lighten the mood then the next best thing was to have Yaya and Amu.

"Is everything perfect Rima-tan?" Yaya asked, pulling up a chair beside Rima. Rima was silent for a moment, clutching her hands together.

"Of course, I'm getting married but… I wish Kusukusu were here."

Yaya gave a large sigh. "I miss Pepe-chan to." She puckered her lower lip, and then her face suddenly brightened. "But I'm doing a great job being a baby without her!"

"Is that all Rima?" Amu asked, setting the brush down on the table.

"Well… my parents, I at least want them to be happy today. At least Nagihiko's parents seem happy." Rima smiled.

"That's the way to think!" Yaya cheered. "Think good things! Think happy thoughts!"

Rima glared at Yaya from the corner of her eyes. "You're getting annoying."

"Ah!" Yaya took a leap backward. "Rima-tan! Don't say such things!"

Rima sighed in agitation. Maybe having Yaya around wasn't the best idea.

"Yaya leave Rima alone, she's worried enough." Amu snapped at Yaya.

Yaya eyes widened. "You to Amu-chi!" She whimpered.

Amu growled irritably, turning back to her task at getting Rima's hair into a bun.

Yaya brightened, raising her pointer finger into the air. "Yaya's got good news though!"

"You should stop talking in third person." Rima muttered, not caring overly much about Yaya's good news. "It will make people think something's wrong with you."

Yaya ignored her, telling her the good news. "Everyone's here! Well the ones you invited for the ceremony are of course here, but the people invited for the reception are here as well! Or at least… there are coming…soon."

Rima ignored Yaya's good news. She swallowed, feeling the knot forming in her stomach tighten. Nerves… she hated them.

She recalled something Nagihiko had told her what helped him with nerves. Closing her eyes she took a deep breath in then back out. While her eyes were closed she could see Nagihiko doing the same as he demonstrated it to her. It had been before one of his performances, so he was wearing a dress, and looked like a girl, but he was still Nagihiko.

Rima opened her eyes, smiling at the memory.

"There!" Amu explained suddenly. Yaya squealed, holding up a hand mirror and angling it so Rima could see Amu's work. The bun was nicely done, twisted around itself in small loops to add some interest to the simple bun, the hair held tightly in place.

"It's wonderful Amu." Rima smiled up at her friend.

She blushed and turned away, shrugging. "It… its n…not that bad." She stuttered, still not the one who could easily take a compliment.

"You look even more beautiful Rima-tan!" Yaya wrapped her arms around Rima.

"Yaya!" Rima cried out. "You'll ruin all of Amu's work!"  
Yaya quickly let go, clasping her hands together. "Oh! It's not ruined is it?"

"No, it's fine." Rima stood, pushing back the chair with her legs, looking at herself in the mirror and smiling. "It's perfect."

There was a knock on the door.

Amu glanced at the clock. "Ah! It's almost time to start." She rushed over to tell whoever knocked that Rima was almost ready.

"Hurry Rima-tan!" Yaya exclaimed. "You don't want to be late for your own wedding."

Rima smiled at Yaya, of course she didn't want to be late for her own wedding. She was looking forward to it with anticipation and even a bit of fear. The uncertainty of the days ahead looming before her caused the knot of nerves in the pit of her stomach. The only thing keeping her going ahead into that uncertainty was that Nagihiko would be beside her through it all, facing it with her.

* * *

And that's it! I hope you enjoyed it; I quite enjoyed writing it :)


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